Why is captivity of the heart worse than captivity of the body?
2026-09-21
T69 · Ibn Taymiyyah
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah
شيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية
Selected explanation · Selected source passage(s) — fully translated
Selected continuous passage; light punctuation normalization has been applied for reading. The English translates every displayed Arabic paragraph; this selection is not the complete surrounding work. Square brackets identify translator-supplied clarification.
النص العربي
المقتطف
فَإِنَّ أَسْرَ الْقَلْبِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَسْرِ الْبَدَنِ، وَاسْتِعْبَادَ الْقَلْبِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ اسْتِعْبَادِ الْبَدَنِ؛ فَإِنَّ مَنْ اُسْتُعْبِدَ بَدَنُهُ وَاسْتُرِقَّ لَا يُبَالِي إذَا كَانَ قَلْبُهُ مُسْتَرِيحًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ مُطْمَئِنًّا، بَلْ يُمْكِنُهُ الِاحْتِيَالُ فِي الْخَلَاصِ. وَأَمَّا إذَا كَانَ الْقَلْبُ الَّذِي هُوَ الْمَلِكُ رَقِيقًا مُسْتَعْبَدًا مُتَيَّمًا لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ، فَهَذَا هُوَ الذُّلُّ وَالْأَسْرُ الْمَحْضُ وَالْعُبُودِيَّةُ لِمَا اسْتَعْبَدَ الْقَلْبَ.
English translation
English translation reviewed against the displayed Arabic by SalafAlSalih editorial preparation (AI-assisted); explanatory additions appear in square brackets or separate notes.
Selected explanation
Captivity of the heart is greater than captivity of the body, and enslavement of the heart is greater than enslavement of the body. Someone whose body is enslaved and held in bondage is untroubled if his heart is at ease and tranquil concerning that; indeed, he may devise a means of escape. But if the heart—which is the ruler—is in bondage, enslaved, and enthralled by something other than Allah, this is sheer humiliation and captivity, and servitude to whatever has enslaved the heart.
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 10/186
مجموع الفتاوى
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
Arabic passage checked against the cited volume and printed page. English reviewed against every displayed Arabic paragraph on 14 October 2026.